Sunshine
by FireflySky17
Summary: Marineford was a pivotal experience in Monkey D. Luffy's life but that doesn't mean it was real. While on Sabaody, Luffy hallucinates the capture and death of his brother. The distress leaves him a shell of his prior self. It's his family's turn to save him this time.
1. Chapter 1

Edited: 13.03.2018

* * *

To those few souls invited to join the Straw-Hat crew, Monkey D. Luffy burned brighter than the sun. When they suffered their harshest winters, in tumbled the teenage captain to melt away the snow. The crew battled monstrous sea kings and gales that threatened to pull them from the deck, but Luffy would always grab the mast and stretch a smile and thus the Straw-Hat crew could weather any storm that the Grand Line threw their way. If there were cloudy days, Luffy's crew knew them not. They lived their days in a bliss of eternal sunshine, believing that the storms would never come.

The storms will always come.

It was on the Sabaody Archipelago that the Straw-Hat crew first experienced a change in climate. Unfortunately, the sunshine overwhelmed their eyes and they didn't notice the clouds forming until it was too late.

xXx

For most pirate crews, it would be a particularly trying day if they fought a celestial dragon, a slave ring and a crowd of marines, but for the Straw-Hats it was barely worth breaking a sweat. Their captain, Monkey D. Luffy, had a bad habit of instigating unnecessary fights. The battle's ease, however, did not make the decisions of their captain any less frustrating. Their fierce loyalty meant that his brash actions were always backed up, but they were constantly accompanied by a groan. He may be an idiot, but he was their idiot, and they would protect him to the death.

The fast-paced day came to an abrupt halt when they realised that it would be three days before they could continue their journey to Fishman Island. The Thousand Sunny would need to be coated to survive a journey underwater. The crew sat around a low table in Shacky's bar, discussing their options for the following days.

Nami thought that the choice was obvious. Being the last island of 'paradise', the Sabaody Archipelago had excellent shopping opportunities compared to the smaller islands that had made up their recent travels. Everyone stopped there: that breeds business. Stalls sold spectacular foods, medicines and clothes that were difficult to find on poorer islands. Scouring the shops would allow them to find invaluable items for the travels ahead. It couldn't be passed up on. Only, the resident coward of the crew seemed to think it could be, very easily.

"Are you kidding? Have you forgotten that the marines are looking for us?! We can't just go shopping: we have to stay hidden!"

While it didn't quite reflect the guns-blazing attitude of the crew, it was reluctantly accepted. The island was swarming with marines and, while they could win the battle, they didn't want to start a war and end up stuck on the island longer than necessary. They had better things to do. The Straw-Hats were free spirits and spending more than a week on one island felt as though they were wading through sand when all they wanted to feel the wind in their hair. Being older than most of the crew, Franky put his experience to use, devising a plan.

"We should run wild over the islands so that they can't predict where we'll be."

Zoro ran his hand over his swords, feeling uncomfortable with what seemed to be being suggested. How could he protect the crew if he had no idea where they were? He wasn't sure why, but, ever since arriving on the archipelago, he had felt uncomfortable being more than a few feet away from his captain. He seemed… off.

"We split up?"

No one seemed to notice the apprehension that their first mate was feeling. The plan was formulated, and Luffy gave it his support. He rose to his feet, tilting his hat down to obscure his eyes. He stretched his arms up above his head, rolling his shoulders until the joints creaked and cracking his knuckles.

"Separate and avoid fights. We meet back here in three days' time. Don't be late."

xXx

The first group was quick to form. Sanji, Robin and Chopper didn't take long to deliberate. The entire archipelago was riddled with those who wished to capture them: the lawless zone with bounty hunters after the beris on their head and the wealthier groves with marines who wanted to execute them. If they were going to be attacked no matter where they went, they may as well go to somewhere fun: the tourist zone.

Saying that, the trio weren't completely reckless. Before leaving, they disguised themselves. They donned heavy capes given to them by Rayleigh, the hoods falling to hide their faces. It was still bright when they left, so they made sure not to dawdle as they made their way to the tourist zone. The disguises could only do so much; caution would be their true saviour. They hurried from the bar with heads down and guards up, trying their hardest to obey orders and avoid any fights. Luffy's 'I'm disappointed' face looked very similar to that of a kicked puppy. The last time that Sanji saw it, he was roped into giving the captain double portions for a week. It was best for their budget to avoid that. They didn't dare to speak until they arrived in the tourist zone, protected by the cacophony of noise that filled the market. Vendors were yelling their specials, children were screaming, couples were bickering. No one could hear their whispered conversations over the commotion.

It turned out that their plan to enjoy the tourist zone was heavily flawed. Everywhere that they looked, there were marines crawling out of the woodwork and swarming the streets. Admittedly, it made some sense. The tourist zone was one of the most popular areas of the archipelago, so the marines would focus there for the sake of the civilians. As soon as she could, Robin dragged the boys into an alleyway between two bars. Empty barrels were abandoned in the narrow street and it smelt of stale vomit and strong wine. There were suspicious puddles between the cobblestones that seemed to be the source of the aroma. Sanji sat atop one of the barrels, fixating on his cigarette in the hope that the smoke would mask the acrid stench.

They spent most of their first day hiding in alleyways, waiting for the marines to dissipate so that they could creep out and explore the stalls. Chopper found it the hardest to stay hidden; every exciting sound and fragrant smell had him peeking his head out into the open. He was young and curious which was usually endearing but became frustrating when in hiding. After a dozen instances of Sanji dragging Chopper back into the dark, he settled for keeping the reindeer within his arms to ensure that they wouldn't be caught. Talking reindeer were hardly the most common creatures, so anyone who had seen his bounty poster would recognise Chopper immediately. Without grabbing Chopper as a distraction, Sanji focused on dissecting the smells that flooded the markets as to decide what he would try first when the street was clear. There were some particularly strong-smelling lemons which would serve their pantry well. Robin lost herself within a book, content to read for three days if the marines refused to leave. Patience is a virtue that comes with age. The three didn't talk much during their day hiding in the alleyway; after the frantic few days that they had had, the peace was appreciated. That night, they took turns to stay awake, on guard, while the other two slept.

As soon as dawn broke the next day and the traders returned, Sanji dashed out of the alley. One day wasted hiding behind crates was bad enough: he couldn't do it again. Besides, his bounty poster barely looked like him. He tied a handkerchief around his forehead to hide his eyebrows, then took off. With an undeserved sense of confidence, Sanji spent the day tasting as much food as he could afford. He tried curries and fish, fruit and chocolate, lemonades and teas. Everything was fragrant and rich. Sanji was examining a rack of local spices when a hand grabbed him by his shoulder. That was surprising. His fist clenched a jar of peppercorns, almost shattering the glass. He sucked a whistling breath through his teeth.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Knee raised high and cigarette gripped between his teeth, Sanji swerved around, ready to destroy whoever was after his bounty. He managed to stop just in time when he saw a shock of auburn hair and smelt the sweet fragrance of tangerines.

"Nami? What are you doing here?"

The fact that Nami was here, touching him, made Sanji's skin crawl with discomfort. However beautiful she was, she was disobeying the captain's orders by being near him. They were meant to reunite of the third day: this was only the morning of second. She was either mutinous or something had happened that was bad enough to warrant breaking the rules. He felt even more uncomfortable when he took in her appearance. Her skin was ashen and her face was grave, gaze cast down towards her hands. Her fingers were trembling, but they retained their tight grip on a familiar straw hat. When she finally spoke up, her voice was low and soft and wavered with emotion.

"Something's wrong with Luffy."

xXx

Next to set off from the bar were Brook, Usopp and Franky. While the plan had been Franky's idea, they lacked the caution of the first group and left not with cloaks but with fishing poles. Their only goal was to find a grove with a bar and a good fishing spot. They didn't have to travel particularly far to find somewhere suitable. They skipped across a half dozen islands before settling on one. The grove was warm with a slight breeze, beautiful fishing weather. They sat in the grass, attempting to fish over the edge of the island. The smell of salt water was overwhelming, whipped up by gentle waves and the breeze. Once the lines were cast, the men told jokes and stories to pass the time. Usopp told a ludicrous story about a wizard and a twenty-foot-tall flamingo that Franky drank up like a cold cola.

With their gleeful chattering and singing came the attention that noise creates on an island on high alert. The residents of the island were scared to silence by the potential battles, so the light-hearted trio stood out like a fire in the darkness. The marines were summoned, hundreds running to the grove. Franky looked up and noticed them moving in on the grove.

"Guys? What was Luffy's rule again?'

Usopp replied without looking up from his fishing line. He'd memorised Luffy's instructions before they'd left. Ever since he almost left the crew, he had been sure to follow any serious orders from Luffy perfectly. He didn't want his family to think he wanted to leave again. The incident with Kaia had taught him his lesson regarding lying. He craved the crew's trust.

"Stay away for three days. Avoid fights."

Franky hummed, confirming that he'd heard his crewmate. He reeled in his line, accepting that they wouldn't be catching any fish today.

"We may have a problem then."

Usopp shrieked when he looked up. Dozens of marines had flooded the small island, covering its perimeter. They had attempted to be discrete by hiding behind trees and foliage but the white of their uniforms was hard to hide. Guns were trained on the Straw-Hats and weapons were drawn. The sniper scanned the island looking for an escape route. It'd be easier to fight their way out, but they had instructions to follow. There was a small gap in the marines' guard near the western exit. He nodded towards it so that his crewmates saw the opening. He spoke quietly so the marines wouldn't hear their plan.

"Run on three. One,"

Usopp plucked a smoke bomb from his pouch.

"Two."

He loaded it into his slingshot, stretching the elastic back.

"Three."

Usopp fired and, as peppery, black smoke covered the island, the trio fled. They ran through a dozen groves, trying to lose any marines who may have followed them. It was only deemed safe when Usopp was red in the face and wheezing. Brook had no complaints about the running, having no lungs or muscles to fatigue, and Franky was feeling the benefits of being a cyborg.

The grove that they stopped on was overgrown. Amongst the knee-high grass and unmaintained trees was a cabin. A warped sign hanging from the far wall revealed it to be a bar, although the state of it indicated that it had been abandoned for some time. The wooden panels of the dilapidated hut were rotting and covered in moss. The windows had been shattered a long time ago and ivy had climbed through the frames. It was the perfect place for them to hide. Maybe, if they were lucky, there would be some booze left inside.

The front door was hanging from its hinges and huge patches of its paint were missing. Franky was shocked to find that, despite the state of disrepair, there was still a bartender inside of the cabin. The man was ancient; his grey beard came down to his knees and tufts of hair were visible in his ears. He leant heavily on a walking cane as he wiped down the crumbling bar. The flash in his eyes when he saw Brook, Usopp and Franky enter showed that he recognised them, but he didn't show any emotions to their presence.

"You boys want some beer?"

Usopp was hesitant but, by the time that Brook and Franky were on their second mugs of beer, he sat down and accepted a drink. It was better beer than he expected. That night, the trio drank through half of the bar's beer. They fell asleep slumped against the bar, listening to the old man's stories of his old pirate crew.

Usopp was awoken by the door to the bar slamming open. That probably shattered what was left of the hinges. He yelped, thinking it was a marine, but stopped once he recognised Zoro's green hair and swords. The first mate grabbed a beer that had escaped the party and downed it before turning around to face Usopp. He seemed to be in a terrible mood. It looked as if he hadn't slept, although Usopp could hardly imagine a situation that would stop Zoro from napping.

"Captain's missing."

Zoro was blunt and he slammed down his beer once he was finished speaking. Usopp stared at him, confused. There had to be more to it. Zoro followed Luffy's order like gospel and Luffy had told them to split up. Why would Zoro have disobeyed just for that?

"Luffy's always running off. What made you break orders?"

Zoro hesitated for a second, running his hand across his swords. His features were dark, his eyebrows knitted.

"I think he's hallucinating."


	2. Chapter 2

Edited: 13.03.2018

* * *

The final team to leave Shacky's bar was made of the original trio of the Straw-Hat crew: Luffy, Zoro and Nami. Due to his status as captain of the crew, Luffy insisted on being the last to leave the bar so that he knew who was in each team. Originally, he had planned for a member of the monster trio to head each team, but Zoro had insisted on staying with him. The first mate had felt unsettled ever since the plan had been formed. He didn't even know what felt wrong, but he knew that his gut said that he had to stick by Luffy's side. Nami had jumped on the chance to fill the third spot, claiming that the original trio needed a chance to reconnect. Zoro enjoyed a drink as they waited.

"What, so we just wait until they all leave?"

Luffy shot him a signature grin, teeth glinting. The teenager was pestering a cat that had slunk into the bar, chasing it between chairs. He stopped, fingers centimetres away from the little black cat.

"Yup."

 _The world around him turned to grey smoke, swirling into black at the edges of his vision. His surroundings meant nothing to Luffy though. Every flicker of his attention was focused upon his hand. It was held out in front of him, fingers forming a tight fist. Within it, he could feel something pushing at his pinky finger. It tickled a little, prompting him to unfurl his grasp. Cusped in his hand was a small square of white paper with the word 'Ace' scribbled on one corner in messy handwriting. The paper was different to the last time he had seen it. Instead of being perfectly square and white, the corner was burning. It started with an ember catching the bottom left corner and then it spread, licking at the paper and turning its path to ash. As the fire spread, the ash left behind crumbled to dust and fell onto his palm. The fire was slow to eat the paper. Light was streaming through the smoke before even a slither of the paper had been eaten away. This paper was Ace's vivre card. His brother was in danger. The fire was slow though. He had time._

"Even if Ace really is in a pinch, he probably doesn't want me worrying about him"

"What?"

Through the fading fog, behind the paper, Luffy could see the faces of Nami and Zoro. They were staring at him as if he had just announced that he was going to join the marines, wide eyes and slightly opened jaws. Luffy blinked, trying to clear the fog. His eyes were unfocused, stung by the fog. As the it left, he forgot that it was ever there. He blinked again and his eyes refocused, regaining their light. He stared at Zoro's raised eyebrow.

"What's up with you guys?"

If possible, Zoro's eyebrow shot up even further.

"You were just talking about Ace."

"Huh. I must have been daydreaming. Well, time to set off!"

Luffy's abrupt change of topic did nothing to quell the concerns of his first mate. In contrast, Nami was easily dissuaded; she firmly believed that her captain was an utter moron and this behaviour could be explained by his defining character trait with little uncertainty. For Zoro, the behaviour that Nami declared moronic only served to add to the twisting in his gut. Luffy rarely mentioned his brother, too focused in the present to dwell on anything lost to time or distance. He tried to supress his unease until he had reason to believe it. An unusual conversation wasn't a good enough reason to be as worried as he was. While this was out of character for Luffy, it wasn't sufficient cause for concern. Luffy was human after all, maybe he just missed his brother.

When they finally set off from the bar, Nami led their group. She towed along the morons that she called her friends. As they trundled along from island to island, Luffy sang about the various islands of the world. He paused mid-verse and turned to face Zoro who was walking by his flank.

"You know, Ace is hunting this guy called Blackbeard."

Of course, Zoro knew. He was Luffy's first mate; he'd been there when Ace had told him all the way back in Alabaster. Meeting Luffy's older brother had been an unforgettable experience. Why didn't the captain remember that? It added to the tornado in Zoro's gut. In an attempt to gain more information, he decided to indulge the kid.

"Really? How's that going?"

"His vivre card is burning."

To prove his point, Luffy reached up and removed his hat. He fished around in the lining until he found the piece of paper in question, then lay it flat on his outstretched palm, presenting it to Zoro. Only, the paper didn't prove Luffy's point in the slightest. The paper was crisp and clean, shifting slightly on his hand. It didn't have so much as a tear, never mind burns.

 _Fire. The fire is coming._

Zoro dropped one of his hands to rest atop his swords. The discomfort in his gut made him feel as if he was on the brink of a battle. A battle would make sense. There had to be a devil fruit user causing this. It would be just like Luffy to stumble into some freak who could manipulate his mind. Only, Luffy seemed so happy. He had returned to skipping behind Nami, and Zoro had to jog a little to catch up to him.

"Are you worried?"

"Nope! Ace has his own adventures to handle. He's tough."

"Well that's... good."

Luffy picked his song up where he had left it off, swinging his arms joyfully. He seemed relaxed, despite thinking his brother was hurt, but Zoro couldn't join him. How could he relax? Something was meddling with his captain. He scanned every tree, every house, every crowd to try to find the devil fruit user causing this. It was an unusual skill for a user to have; so subtle yet so effective at disarming Luffy. He couldn't risk falling under its snare.

After the trio had traversed several more islands, things began to get strange once more. They came to a large, empty clearing on one of the groves. Once they reached it, Luffy suddenly stopped walking. Zoro crashed into his back causing Luffy to lurch forwards. He stumbled but found his footing. That was when Luffy screamed.

 _A battle was taking place in the clearing. Bartholomew Kuma was hunting them for the marines. Luffy was sure that they could take him down. Luffy was wrong. Boop. Kuma's paw of a hand smacked into Robin and sent her flying so quickly that she was barely a blur. He ran to her, reached for her, but he was too late. Again and again, he was too late as Kuma attacked his crew._

The screaming was a piercing sound that forced Zoro to cover his ears. Nami shouted over the screeching.

"Shit! What's he doing?"

She launched herself at the captain, striking his cheek in an attempt to silence him. Avoiding fights with the marines relied on the marines not spotting them. With this noise, they'd be found in seconds. Luckily, Luffy didn't scream for long. After two seconds, he staggered. Somehow, the aftermath was worse than the screaming. Luffy's eyes were wide with fear. His hands were clutching at the fabric of his shorts, gripping it tightly in his fists. Zoro didn't wait for him to snap out of his daze. He grabbed Luffy and slung him over his shoulder and started walking. The captain's signature hat slipped, so Nami grabbed it and carried it for him. Luffy's head was bouncing against Zoro's back as he was carried from the clearing. Zoro turned to face Nami.

"It has to be a devil fruit power. We should find somewhere to stop until he snaps out of it."

While Nami led them to a more suitable grove, Zoro told her all that had made him suspicious. As they were formulating their plan, they arrived at a nearby forest where they planned to make camp. There may have been safer places, but they hadn't wanted to haul the captain too far. Zoro propped the teenager up against a tree and then they waited. They loomed over the young captain, weapons drawn, and waited either for the devil fruit user to arrive or for Luffy to wake up. Neither happened. It grew dark and the stars appeared and Luffy fell asleep without having spoken a word. Zoro refused to relax. When Nami gave up and went to sleep, Zoro remained. He stood guard all night, prepared for a powerful opponent.

No one attacked.

When Luffy woke the next morning, it was as if the previous day hadn't happened. He was grinning, back to wearing his hat. Zoro left to find them some breakfast. When he returned, it was to Nami and Luffy fighting.

"We should go to the amusement park."

"You'd just goof off! It'd attract way too much attention!"

Despite his role as captain, Luffy lost the argument with Nami as usual. She declared that they would head to the shipping zone as it would be quietest. Unfortunately, they had to pass the amusement park in order to get there.

The park loomed in the distance. Rainbow tinted bubbles floated around the Ferris wheel and Luffy was convinced that he could smell the food stands. Crowds of people surrounded the park, so they knew they should probably stay away. Despite that, Luffy took a step towards that grove, longing to go. That was when he saw a familiar face within the crowds.

 _The fog moved in again, hiding all but the figure directly in front of him. Ace, his big brother, was on his knees. His hands were bound in chains, his wrists red and raw where they chafed him. His hat was missing, revealing greasy black hair that suggested it had been a long time since he'd had the chance to bathe. His head was hung so his hair fell to hide his eyes. The smoke was disgusting here. It smelt awful, putrid with urine and blood. Luffy didn't know how, but he knew what was destined for Ace. They were going to execute him. Luffy had to rescue his brother. He'd fight the world if that's what it took._

Luffy was running before the fog had faded. He launched himself after his brother, flinging himself forward using trees, driven by the fear that twisted in his stomach. He was outside of the amusement park when the fog blackened once more.

 _Ace was being led from the prison. He was being taken to Marineford for his execution. The marines were going to murder his big brother because Luffy hadn't been fast enough to save him. He was always too slow. He'd been too slow to save his crew and now he was too slow to save his brother. He had one last chance to save Ace; he'd follow him to Marineford._

Luffy saw a flash of black hair within the amusement park and ran to chase it.

For Nami and Zoro, things were eerily silent. After five suspiciously peaceful minutes, they turned around to find that Luffy wasn't following them. Nami could see his hat a long way behind them, stuck near the top of a tree, so she ran to grab it. She dropped from the tree to land next to Zoro. His swords were drawn.

"We have to find him."


	3. Chapter 3

Edited: 13.03.2018

* * *

Luffy could feel his mind slipping away, spilling like sand through the gaps between fingers. Each attempt to cling to it was like trying to catch fog within your fist; when he thought that he had finally caught it, he opened his hand and found it empty, every wisp gone. The ache between his ribs was a reminder that his crew were lost to him, but he couldn't recall why or how. In the distance, behind the fog, a Ferris wheel ensured that he knew where he was, but he couldn't remember the reason that he had been so determined to get there. Crumbling away, there was a faint memory of his brother. Perhaps Ace was on Sabaody too? Within a few long strides, the memory of his brother fell away like a dream struck by the dawn. All that remained was the energy and enthusiasm drummed up by the amusement park.

Sabaody Park was an assault upon his senses. The syrupy-sweet scent of candyfloss had been overwhelming since it had broken through the fog. Returned to himself, Luffy set about trying to find a vendor. Hopefully, the flavour would be as good as the smell. He couldn't just smell candyfloss; he could smell popcorn and warm spiced bread and cinnamon as well, but they didn't cause him to salivate in the same way as the high notes of tooth-rotting spun sugar. It made him mourn that Chopper wasn't by his side; Chopper would have adored it. Maybe, once he found him, he could buy the little reindeer some.

Luffy ignored all signposts on his quest. He followed his nose and ran in the direction that it led him. After a short sprint, he found a small, busy stall amongst the chaos. The queue wound through the pathways, twisting and swarming. The crowds were worsened as the line to the Ferris wheel ran adjacent to the vendor's. In between the two queues, there was a rather peculiar man. He was huge, laden with dense muscle, and he sported a pair of luminous-orange boxing gloves. The man was arguing with his companion, swinging his arms wildly as he gesticulated. Luffy fixated on those gloves. At first, his fixation was based in curiosity but, curiosity satisfied, he found himself unable to look away. As his eyes strained to focus upon the gloves, his surroundings blurred. Everything greyed apart from the flashes of orange, sparks of fire in the fog. The noise of the amusement park faded to a high-pitched whistle as something else, something strange, moved in.

 _Coming into focus through swirling grey smoke was a landscape that easily could have been one of the circles of hell. Defying nature, the sea had frozen for miles surrounding Marineford, glistening and white, trapping ships in its reach. The temperature was turbulent; the ice froze Luffy's feet until they tingled while the flashes of fire rushing past his cheek scorched his skin and burnt his hair. The contrast made his bones ache until it was exhausting to even move. Every step dragged as if wading through snow. His knees groaned and creaked as he pushed through the pain. He didn't have a choice. He had to keep going. His big brother needed him. By vowing to rescue Ace, he'd initiated a battle that would go down in legend. Every island of the Grand Line was touched by his actions. Children in their beds a hundred years from that day would hear stories of Captain Luffy's adventure to rescue his brother. Pirate crews from all over the world were coming to fight for his family. Failure wasn't an option._

 _He was successful in rescuing Ace from the execution stand but he couldn't quite remember how he did it. Just as the swords were about to fall onto his brother's neck, the surrounding people, marines and pirates alike, fell. It didn't matter why. He ignored his comrades' chatter, only able to see his brother gaping from the stand. With the help of Mr Three, he freed Ace just before he could be killed. An ache throbbed through his shoulder as his brother yanked him through the flames, chastising him all the while. He had never felt such euphoria._

 _There was something beautiful about watching his big brother fight. Not only was the fire mesmerising, it made him proud to know that his brother was so powerful. Big brothers have to be tough and his was the toughest that had ever existed. A pillar of flames shot higher than the execution stand had ever reached. Embers lit up the air._

" _Can you still fight Luffy?"_

" _Course."_

" _Never thought I'd need my little brother to save me. I owe you one."_

 _The atmosphere of the battleground made his heart swell. Fighting side by side with his brother was all he had dreamt of when he was young. As they fought, they moved in unison as if they had never been parted. For those moments, they were the strongest duo that the Grand Line had ever seen._

" _That's my little brother you're trying to murder. I'll have to ask you to stop."_

 _They were destined for success until Ace came across Akainu. From the moment that they began to fight, something felt wrong. In an act of carelessness driven by that discomfort, Luffy dropped Ace's vivre card. He didn't know why he needed it back so badly, Ace was in front of him, safe, but he knew that he had to get it. Fate was guiding his hand. As he reached for the paper, he heard Ace scream his name. Luffy looked up to see magma racing towards him, then time seemed to slow._

 _He could smell it before he could see it._

 _The acrid smell of charred flesh blossomed outwards within moments of the magma hitting Ace's back. By the time he could see the fist that protruded from his brother's chest, the smell was overwhelmingly nauseating, reminiscent of burnt pork. Ace was cooked before he was even dead._ _He spoke his final words while smelling like a spit pig._

" _Thank you for caring about someone like me, who has such bad blood in his veins. Thank you for loving me."_

" _Ace?"_

 _It meant nothing that his brother had died with a smile on his face. He was still dead. Nothing else mattered now. The grief was overwhelming. Both of his brothers were dead. His crew were scattered, God knows where. He'd failed them all, everyone he had ever loved. As pain spread from his chest, Luffy screamed until the darkness crept in. He welcomed it._

Amongst the crowd of fair-goers, a slim teenager fell to his knees. He was silent, a puppet with its strings cut, as he crashed to the floor. He fell hard. His knees were grazed by the collapse, specks of blood splashing across the ground. A few seconds passed where he simply knelt, a crowd gathering around him. After a short while, his head tilted backwards, unblinking eyes fixed upon the sky. Half a second passed where the boy knelt, watched by the crowd, blindly staring upwards toward heaven. Just when the crowds were about to lose interest, the boy screamed. It was an ungodly scream, as if a blazing poker was being forced through his eye. It was gut twisting wailing, reminiscent of a child undergoing torture. His soul was ripped from him, wrenched out with a scream.

xXx

Trafalgar Law, Surgeon of Death, Captain of the Heart Pirates, had merely wanted to have a relaxing day with his crew. It didn't seem to be an outlandish request. He had dealt with the shit-storm that Straw-Hat had caused, evading the marines until they had eventually given up their search. Finally, _finally,_ he could have a day to catch up with his friends. Living on a submarine forced a crew to be particularly intimate and he had missed them during the week that they had sprawled across Sabaody. They would play in the day and party through the night. By the time that he passed out, hiccupping, on Bepo, he would have caught up on the gossip of the week. It was a wonderful plan that would, unfortunately, be cancelled thanks to Straw Hat.

The Heart Pirates had planned to spend that particular day exploring the amusement park. As soon as dawn had broken, his crew pulled him from his chambers and dragged him, half-asleep, to the park. His eyelids were still heavy with sleep as a group of orange-clad pirates twirled and tittered on a carousel. It was almost sweet, the sense of childish joy, only that a group of actual children were waiting by the ride for the bumbling pirates to finish. After the organ fired up for the fifth time, Law took pity on the awaiting children and forced his crew to move on. His crew of fully matured pirates whined and huffed at being escorted away from the ride.

The next ride to captivate his crew was the log flume. It twisted throughout the amusement park, pouring water through manmade rivers to whisk hollowed halves of trees along. Unfortunately, the water for the ride was pumped from the sea surrounding the archipelago so this would be another ride that the captain would have to sit out. He was okay with that. It was the Ferris Wheel next, he could definitely join in then. To curb his boredom, he decided to go for a walk around the park while the crew were preoccupied.

The walk around the park was quite lovely. A breeze was whipping up salt from the sea which left a tang on his tongue that contrasted the crushing smell of caramel. He could hear snippets of passing conversations: children begging for snacks, couples bickering, someone screaming – wait. What? Law snapped out of his thoughts to hear screeching that made him want to shove his fingers in his ears and walk in the opposite direction. A captain couldn't get to this point of the Grand Line without hearing screams but this was particularly loud. It irritated him.

If only from his desire to silence the racket, Law decided to seek out its source. The screaming had driven the crowds into a state of mania, fearful that another battle was looming. Law was swimming against the current, diving for gaps between bodies as he pushed through towards the noise. His arms were tugged behind him, dragged by the crowd, causing his shoulders to burn and twist in their sockets. He wrenched them back to his sides and tried to stay small as he pushed through a wall of bodies.

When the crowds began to thin, he caught a look at the source. He could only see glimpses between flailing limbs. There was a flash of black hair, empty eyes, an agape mouth. It wasn't until he was clear of the masses that he recognised the body.

Luffy.

He was missing his signature hat and it was strange to see him without the garment. He almost looked weaker, as if he was missing his armour. Adding to the look of frailty, Luffy's eyes were devoid of life. Despite all that, it was definitely him.

Free from the crowd, Trafalgar Law set to work. While a normal man would have been surprised to see one of the strongest pirates in recent history in such a state, the captain of the heart pirates was no such man. Before anything else, at his core, he was a doctor. Being unshakeable was a prerequisite to that job. After taking a second to grieve for the state of his knees, he knelt on the ground besides Straw Hat and took half a second to observe the kid's state. Straw Hat was skinny as ever, all bones and sinew. There was no external stimulus to justify the screaming: internal cause then. Physical or mental? Superficial damage to his knees but none to his hands; he didn't try to prevent his fall. Such attempts are usually instinctual. More likely a mental cause then. A stream of blood was dripping down his chin, making the screams garbled and wet; he must have damaged his throat. Risk of blood in his lungs.

He should just abandon the kid. A noise like this would have already caught the attention of the marines. Taking Straw Hat to his ship would put his crew at risk. That was the logical choice, the choice he should have made. He couldn't bring himself to though. If the marines found Straw Hat in such a state, they would execute him without a second thought. That would be such a waste. Law wanted to be King of the Pirates and it would feel like cheating if a notable competitor was taken out in such a way. Fate would decide if he would defeat Luffy, not misfortune.

If he wanted to escape before the marines arrived, he would have to act quickly. Straw Hat was still screaming and he didn't seem to be planning on moving any time soon. With no time to reason with the kid, Law flung him over one shoulder, holding him in place with an arm across his thighs. If he had expected a reaction, he didn't get one. The teenager was like a rag doll in his grasp, never fighting the way that he was man-handled, yet the screaming never ceased. It drew the attention of civilians as Law ran from the park. He needed to shut the kid up. Fooling the marines wasn't impossible but it would waste time and wasted time could mean the difference between a full and partial recovery. Unable to silence Luffy, Law forced himself to run faster.

When he finally jumped over the strikingly yellow railing of his ship, Law spent no time dawdling. He headed straight to the infirmary. Without looking, he kicked the door shut behind him causing a loud thud to echo throughout the room. Echoes were often a problem in the submarine since the walls and floor were no more than exposed metal. Several cots were pushed against the far wall, wheels locked in place. They were topped with thin mattresses and firm pillows. His desk was bolted to the wall adjacent to one such bed so he dumped Straw Hat there for the sake of convenience. If you only have one patient, why put them in the furthest away bed?

Before doing anything else, he untucked thick leather straps from beneath the mattress. They had been added to his designs as an afterthought, but they were often a necessity for his work. Experiment subjects are so rarely willing to remain still. He flung the heavy straps across Straw Hat and set about buckling them. It was easy to fasten them in place with such a pliant patient. Most of the time, it took two of his crew to hold a subject still while he buckled the shoulder strap. If he had really tried, he probably could have fastened Luffy's one handed. Shoulders done, Law tucked Luffy's arms against his sides so that they could be held in place by the abdominal belt. Knees were easy: push together and buckle tight. Finally, a thin strap was tightened over his forehead. Poor kid.

With Luffy safe from himself, Law retrieved his stethoscope from his desk. There was something about the weight of it around his neck that made him settle into work mode. It created a barrier between his violent imitation of surgery and his medical practice. Now that he was in control of the situation, the screaming was growing to be intolerably annoying. He couldn't work out what was wrong with the brat if he couldn't hear himself think. Sedatives, that would shut him up.

A small refrigerator filled with vials sat beside his desk. He crouched down next to it so that he could sift through its contents.

"Lorazepam… Should have a bottle in here somewhere…"

Despite the distraction of the noise, Law had calculated what medication to use in under half a second. The cause was most likely mental. Within that category, psychosis seemed more likely than anxiety. A lack of fear was how Straw Hat had made it so far along the Grand Line. Lorazepam would assist with either anyway. It was fast acting: that was more for his own sake than his patient's. The lack of movement could mean catatonia, which might also be relieved by lorazepam if he chose the correct dose. Law could easily choose the correct dose. This would just require a delicate hand.

Law found the vial jammed towards the back of the fridge. It was fairly full, thankfully. He could need several doses before he was done with the kid. Law plucked it from the fridge and shoved it into his pocket. Mission accomplished, he sunk into his stool. The screaming was beginning to give him a headache. From a box atop his desk, Law retrieved a pair of gloves that he snapped into place. Syringes lived in a cabinet across the room so he had to walk over to retrieve one. Vehicle found, he flipped the cap off the top of the vial and drew the liquid up into the syringe. With well-practiced hands, he pushed out any air as he had a thousand times before. He had to hold the syringe precariously with his pinky finger as he twisted open a bottle of rubbing alcohol. With a clean rag, he wiped it over the back of Straw Hat's hand. It would hurt more than injecting his elbow, but the restraints meant that Luffy's inner arm was inaccessible. Efficiency mattered more than patient comfort. Luffy was still screaming but he didn't so much as twitch when the needle plunged through his skin.

It would take at least a minute for the sedative to start to take effect, so Law wouldn't have peace quite as soon as he would have liked. He wired Straw Hat up to a heart monitor in the meantime. Always best to be prepared. He shoved an oxygen mask onto him too in case the sedative affected his breathing. By the time that he'd finished fussing, Luffy's screaming had quieted into whimpering and slurred attempts at speech that were muffled by the breathing apparatus. Much better.

As Luffy grunted and whined, Law tried to come up with a diagnosis so that he could correctly treat his patient. He had half a day to work out what to do next thanks to the lorazepam. Narrowing his diagnosis down from the general label of acute delirium would be difficult without Straw Hat's medical history. He needed to know if this had happened before to guide his diagnosis. He could ask Straw Hat's ship doctor, he supposed, but that would involve alerting his crew to his condition.

Law sat in his stool and spun as he contemplated the issue. He needed the Straw Hats' doctor to get Luffy's notes. As he began setting up a file of his own for the kid, a curiosity crossed his mind. If the doctor knew anything significant about Straw Hat's mental state that could indicate a breakdown on this level, they would never have let the kid out of their sight if they had an ounce of sense. Did they not know, or were they careless? The brat would need a quiet, stable environment for the initial stages of recovering from a psychotic episode. Pfft. Recover. He had no way of knowing whether a full recovery would be possible. Even if this was a one off, it was a catastrophic mental break. Flowery romantic texts tend to give the impression that one can quickly recover from episodes of mental illness, as though the break is the moment of consequence and the aftermath can be brushed aside. That's utter crap. Luffy wouldn't just bounce back from this. The treatment would most likely include an intense routine of therapy, careful monitoring and psychotropic drugs. Without a secure environment, his lack of awareness could get him killed. Drowning was all too easy at sea, especially if you didn't know that you were on a boat. The Straw Hat ship could never be described as stable. They loved him, sure, but what did love matter when Straw Hat couldn't understand that love. The kid would be safe hidden away within his infirmary for now; his crew could be dealt with once he was stable. God knows when that would be.

Satisfied in his decision, Law shuffled his stool towards Luffy's bedside. The kid was somewhere between asleep and awake, occasionally talking to himself. There was a chance he could get some clues from the chatter. Prepared for a long vigil, he scribbled down notes about what had happened on a clipboard resting on Luffy's bedrail and waited. It would be a long day.


	4. Chapter 4

Edited: 13.03.2018

* * *

Trafalgar Law was dragged from his sleep by a sharp tugging at his scalp. It was insistent, shifting left and right, refusing to allow him to slip back into unconsciousness. When he forced his eyes open, he was met with a slightly blurred close-up of the letter T. Weird. As he pushed himself upright, several matters became clear. Firstly, he must have fallen asleep at Straw Hat's beside. His face was shoved against his hand, arms resting atop the mattress in an entirely unprofessional manner. The metal of his stethoscope was digging into his skin, pressed between his chest and the bedframe. Napping in such a position had left him with a terrible crick in his neck. When he moved, the bones clicked and groaned. The second matter was significantly more confusing than his sleeping arrangements.

"What the - Straw Hat?"

The jerking at his scalp turned out to be due to his patient. Luffy's slender, rubbery fingers were tangled in his hair, attempting to force the short locks into a messy imitation of a braid.

"Ay… Ace?"

The final fact to dawn on Doctor Trafalgar Law was that he hadn't slept for long. The hands threaded through his hair were clumsy, pawing at his scalp more often than his hair. Apparently, the sedative was still exerting its influence. The kid seemed drunk, unable to fully control his limbs. The side effect was insignificant; Luffy was no longer screaming, despite being conscious, and was even somewhat verbal. Breathing apparatus muffled Luffy's attempts at speech but, when he listened closely, Law could hear a slurred drone of 'Ace' repeated like a mantra. It didn't matter what 'ace' meant, only that it was a legible word. The medication was working.

Law fished the wandering hands from his hair and caught them in one of his own. Using his free hand, he wrestled the oxygen mask away from Luffy's face. The task was complicated by his patient's squirming and the leather band holding down his forehead. Nevertheless, Law managed to wiggle the mask down so that it hung around Straw Hat's neck. He waited a moment, watching the rise and fall of the kid's chest to ensure that he could still breathe. Once he was certain of his patient's stability, he attempted to instigate conversation.

"How do you even know how to braid hair?"

He didn't receive any verbal response, but that didn't surprise him. The fact that Luffy was producing any speech while weighed down by high doses of sedatives was impressive enough. With the volume that Law had given him, Straw Hat should have been under for half a day. His question, however, was rewarded with a toothy grin that almost reflected the lights overhead. The far superior prize was a quiet laugh. It sounded fake, hollow, but that didn't matter. Even a fake laugh indicated that the kid was aware of social cues. He was tracking the conversation, not just talking to his hallucinations. Laughing seemed to trick Straw Hat into relaxing a little. He stopped straining against the restraints, instead sinking down into the cot. Despite relaxing, his gangling arms continued to grab at his doctor as he giggled. With a hint of a smile, Law caught the kid's fingers, tickling Luffy's fingertips with his own. Dancing his tattooed appendages against Luffy's only caused him to titter more. He tried to catch Law's fingers and squealed out laughter when they darted away just before he could catch them.

Watching his patient babble and stare at his fingers as if they were impossibly elusive, Law couldn't help but feel his heart swell with fondness. The little captain seemed far too young, not even an adult yet, to have had both the adventures and the hardships that he had faced. As long as he kept the kid here, on his ship, he could protect him for a while. He could help him to heal. If Luffy hadn't shrugged off whatever had scared him by now, it would probably take some time. Law wanted to help. Despite there only being a few years between them, he felt almost parental as he watched Straw Hat play. The infirmary felt like its own private world, a great distance from Sabaody and the Grand Line. Out there, his life as a pirate dictated that he be violent and sinister, cold hearted, harsh. In here, in his infirmary, he was only required to be a doctor. He could do some good. He cracked a smile, a rarity in this life, and caught one of Luffy's searching fingers.

"Guess you snuck your arms out, huh kiddo?"

That earned him another giggle. Straw Hat's arms waved in the air as if to prove their defiance, wiggling fingers and reaching arms akin to an infant in a crib. The sedatives had clearly been strong; they had needed to be.

"Ace, Ace!"

"I hear you Luffy, I hear you. I have no idea what you mean, but I hear you. These straps don't seem to be doing much, do they? Let's try seeing how you do without them…"

Removing the restraints was significantly harder than applying them had been. Every time he got near to a buckle, Luffy insisted on playing another game of catch-the-fingers. Once all of the straps were unfastened, Law turned to his desk to find something that would distract Luffy. He settled for grabbing a handful of cotton balls and dumping them in his lap. The kid pawed at them, pulling the fibres apart. With Luffy distracted, he could finally carry out an assessment. Before beginning, he grabbed a pair of gloves from his desk and snapped them in place.

"Luffy, I'm just going to listen to your chest. Don't be scared."

It took a lot of effort to manipulate Luffy out of his vest. Now that he was distracted, he was reluctant to let go of the toys. Once his patient was bare chested, Law could set about his exam. His stethoscope was warm from being pressed against him during his nap, so Luffy didn't notice when it was held against his back. There was a slight crackle to the kid's lungs. Some of the blood must have dripped into them. It was nothing to worry about; Straw Hat would probably cough it up within a few days. It did, however, indicate that Luffy had definitely hurt his vocal chords with the screaming. There was no chance that the kid would tolerate an examination of them though. A quick check confirmed that his heart was doing fine, probably helped the sedative.

"Doing good Lu, well done."

His next task was to get at Straw Hat's knees. They were drawn up to his chest, so there was no way for Law to sneakily check them. He caught one of the kid's ankle and pulled at it until his leg was straightened. Unsurprisingly, Luffy objected to this. He screeched and slammed his fists against the doctor's back. Weakened by the sedative, his blows were weak and his attempts to free his leg were unsuccessful, but both was rather irritating for Law. With his free hand, he rolled up the leg of Luffy's shorts. Dried blood coated the knobbly knee, obscuring the injury. Keeping his grip on Straw Hat's ankle, Law reached over to his desk and grabbed antiseptic. He upended the bottle over the cut, soaking the dried blood and causing Luffy to kick and whine. Once the blood was wiped away, he could get a look at the damage. It wasn't particularly bad, but he still took the effort to clean and bind both of the kid's knees. For the sake of an extra five minutes, it wasn't worth taking a gamble.

Throughout his examination, Trafalgar Law had been babbling to Luffy. Being spoken to seemed to help the kid stay lucid. Was it required or merely assisting? When his curiosity took over, he decided to see what would happen if he stopped talking for a while. It would give him a baseline for Luffy's mental stability. After a few seconds of Law's silence, Liffy's slurred attempts at speech stopped. He fell limp against the cot, head lolling back and limbs floppy. He was staring at the ceiling of the infirmary, eyes fixed dead ahead, no pupil movement. Law immediately regretted his decision.

"Shit. Come on kid, come back."

Breaking his own rules, Law hopped over the rail that surrounded the cot. It felt wrong to waste precious seconds fiddling with the mechanisms that allowed them to drop. He hauled Luffy up against his chest. The young captain's head lolled backwards, lacking the muscle co-ordination to resist gravity. Law helped by supporting his head for him, moving it to rest against his chest. He rubbed circles into the kid's back to try to soothe him.

"Can you hear me? I need you to focus, Luffy. Try to hone in on my voice. It's about lunchtime, you don't want to miss it, do you? I'm sure we can find you something nice, but I can't feed you if you're catatonic."

As if there was a sensor in his brain to detect the word 'food', Luffy lifted his head a little so that it rested against Law's shoulder. With his head tilted up, his eyes shifted erratically, searching for Law but unable to see the figure directly in front of them.

"That's it, good boy, that's right. I won you over with food, huh? I should have guessed that would work."

Luffy blinked at him, eyes large and owlish. When the kid spoke, his voice was unnaturally quiet. If Law hadn't been listening for it, he never would have heard it.

"Ace?"

Law laughed with relief at the whispering. He had no idea what 'ace' meant but it was all that Luffy had said since waking up. The return of 'ace' meant that he had avoided taking a turn for the worse.

"Well done. I better get you that food I promised, huh? Wait, I can't leave you here alone if you'll react like that every time you're not stimulated… I guess you get a trip to the galley!"

Before setting out for the galley, Law grabbed a spare hoody from his desk to shove onto Luffy. He looked goddamn cute, drowning in the hoody that was far too large for him. Only his fingertips poked out of the sleeves, and it fell half way down his thighs. With the kid struggling to move his head, never-mind support his weight, Law wasn't even going to try to get him to walk upstairs. He shifted Luffy a little so that he could hook his free arm underneath his bandaged knees, leaving his other on the kid's back to calm him.

It was tricky to manoeuvre from there. The cot railings were still up but this time he had to hop over them while carrying 140 pounds of deadweight. He lifted Luffy to be higher up on his chest and then shuffled over the rail. Straw Hat whined a little at the movement. Trying to reassure the kid, Law cooed to him. He made soft noises, no real words, just shushes and humming, bouncing Luffy in his arms as he walked around his infirmary.

Balancing Luffy precariously on one arm, he grabbed a syringe and the vial of lorazepam. Without Luffy seeing, he dropped them into his pocket. He didn't want to dose the kid again, but it was better to be prepared when leaving the infirmary with an unpredictable patient. With Straw Hat struggling to verbalise, Law had very little insight into his mental state. He kept Luffy balanced as he stepped out into the corridor. Once the door slammed shut, he looked down to adjust Luffy and was ever-so-slightly heartbroken by the sight. Straw Hat was staring at Law but it didn't seem as if he could really see him. His eyes were darting back and forth as if following movement, yet the corridor was motionless. Luffy's hand was still gripping at Law's leg, trying to hold onto reality as he drifted further away from it. His legs were limp, heavy across Law's arm. The doctor made sure to keep talking to his patient as he strode towards the galley.

"Hey, don't go wandering off. We need to get you fed! It's almost past lunchtime. A routine will do you good. Once you're more aware, it'll help you work out what's real, since reality will be predictable… What do you want to eat?"

"Ace."

"I thought you might say that. Hey, for all I know, ace is a kind of food. Though, I don't think we have it if it is. Think you can manage chewing? We could probably find you some meat if you can."

"Ace."

"Of course."

Law wrenched open the door to the galley, precariously cradling Luffy against his chest so that he had a free hand. He was shocked to find Penguin and Shachi leaning against the kitchen counters, snacking on strips of dried meat. Shouldn't they still be at the park? Their eyes bulged when they saw him stride in, arms full of another crew's captain. It was hard for them not to smirk at the sight. Luffy was sucking at the strings of Law's hoody, saturating them with saliva. He laughed when Law bopped him on the nose in a mockery of punishment.

"Hey captain, who's your bride?"

"Oh shush. Hey, give me one of those."

Law strode over to his friends, grabbing a strip of meat from Penguin's outstretched hand. He sank into the closest chair and tried to reposition Luffy in a way that he would be able to safely eat. The catatonia and sedation combined to weaken the kid's muscles, so there was a high risk of choking. Eventually, he settled for wedging Luffy between his torso and the table, forcing him to stay upright. He grabbed the kid's jaw with one hand, holding his head upright so that he wouldn't choke. Luffy whined at being held in place and made little, futile movements in an attempt to escape. Law held his patient still until he gave up, relaxing into the older man's grasp.

"Right, think you can manage eating?"

The doctor had to hold the snack for him but Luffy managed to rip at the meat. It was slow, messy, progress. Drool was smeared across his face. Shachi stared over his captain's shoulder at their guest.

"What happened to him?"

"I found him hallucinating in the park. He'll be staying with us for a while."

"That bad?"

Law nodded, distracted by wiping drool from Luffy's chin. Since he was facing away from Shachi and Penguin, he didn't see the way they grinned as he wiped away the slobber with his sleeve.

"Well then, how can we help?"


	5. Chapter 5

Edited: 13.03.2018

* * *

Irrespective of their intentions, there is a tendency for pirates to take a situation and add a dash of pure chaos. Trafalgar Law considered himself exempt from this; he was a doctor more than anything else. However, Shachi and Penguin were certainly pirates. Chaos lingered around them as if it were their shadow. Caring about them didn't negate the fact that his friends were utter morons: it just made their lunacy tolerable.

"Hey, Straw Hat, you want the meat? Mmmmmm, tasty meat. Eat up!"

It was thanks to a small miracle that Law maintained a deadpan expression. Any laugher or movement would threaten the delicate balance that kept Luffy trapped between his torso and the edge of the table. The little captain was straddling his lap, struggling to regain muscle control. This left Law with no viable escape route away from the bumbling idiots that were flanking him. Of the two imbeciles, Penguin was vying for the title of Head Moron as he waved a strip of jerky in front of Straw Hat's eyes. The dry meat was practically grazing against the kid's eyelashes. Luffy didn't seem to mind, but it bothered Law. He was the one who would have to clean the kid up tonight, and it would be easier if he didn't have to worry about checking for flecks of meat in the brat's eyes. He groaned before he finally spoke up.

"He's not a dog."

Penguin, apparently, did not appreciate Law's response to his good will. He shot him a look that suggested that he thought that his beloved captain had fish guts for brains. That couldn't be right; Law knew that he was the only sensible person on his crew. Penguin rolled his eyes at him.

"What do you suggest? He reacted to food last time."

"… I don't know."

"Meat it is then."

As any sane human would predict, Penguin waving a strip of dried meat an inch away from a catatonic patient's face failed to aid his recovery. Luffy didn't so much as blink through the entire debacle. To test the hypothesis fully, Law leant backwards. Rather than holding himself upright, Straw Hat slumped until he was, once again, connected to his doctor's torso. Law smirked as he shuffled Luffy back into an upright position. As predicted, meat-therapy had failed to improve the patient's motor control.

"Told you so."

"Captain, shut your damn face."

Well. There was no way in hell that Trafalgar Law would allow someone to talk to him like that. War had been declared. As Penguin and Law exchanged insults that would make a mere mortal's eyes water, Shachi took his turn to attempt to break through the void surrounding Straw Hat. He contorted his face into ludicrous expressions and tickled Luffy and did every bizarre thing that he could possibly think of until he was rewarded with a small smile. Unable to control his glee, Shachi barked out a cry of victory. With joy-fuelled strength, he stole Straw Hat from his captain's embrace, hauling him into his arms and twirling the teenager through the air. Luffy seemed to enjoy the moment. He laughed a little and gave a minute kick of his feet. Watching the events unfold, Penguin's heart broke.

"Luffy, why do you like him more than me? That's not fair; I gave you meat! Meat!"

Shachi cackled and plopped his hat onto Luffy's head. Straw Hat flicked his eyes towards the back of his head as though he would be able to see the hat if he looked further back.

"I'm the best. What reason does he have not to declare me his favourite uncle?"

That made Law swivel around to face his crewmate.

"Uncle? You're not that much older than him."

"Neither are you, but you're totally in dad-mode Cap."

Law slumped down, banging his head against the table. He could have had any crew that he wanted. Why did he choose these morons? Was it too late? Sabaody wasn't the ideal place to replace his crew, but desperate times could call for desperate measures. Penguin was pretty sure that, if he squinted, he could see a tiny black raincloud forming above his captain's head. Feeling sympathetic, he patted Law on the back. His friend needed his support; life is tough when you're a single father.

While Law was distracted with the threat of fatherhood, Shachi was coaxing Luffy to interact with his environment. He linked his thumbs together, forming a bird-like shape with his hands that he fluttered around Straw Hat's head. The little captain laughed as he made badly-aimed grabs at Shachi's hands. When Law finally lifted his head, he was greeted with a predictable squeal of 'ace'. He directed a wave towards his patient before turning back to Penguin. Keeping his eyes on Luffy, he spoke under his breath to his crewmate.

"Hey."

Penguin dropped into the seat beside him, sensing the change in tone.

"What?"

"We're not contacting his crew."

"Okay… why?"

Morons, he worked with morons. The need to replace his crew was an increasing possibility if he wanted to be king.

"He was on his own when I found him. They have to be pretty shitty to have not realised something this big was hitting him."

"Feeling a bit protective there, captain?"

"No. It's just a medical judgement. You've seen him; he can't manage on his own right now. If we hand him over to them, there's a risk he'd end up starving to death. Besides, he won't even notice they're gone while he's like this. It won't bother him."

"Okay… Do you think he knows we're here?"

"I'm not sure. He's only acknowledged something called ace so far."

"Do you think he could mean Fire Fist?"

Law stared at Penguin blankly for a moment, eyebrows knitting together, before he remembered the name.

"Whitebeard's guy?"

"Yeah. We have his wanted poster somewhere."

"Why would he mean Fire Fist?"

"Haven't you noticed? They kind of look alike. Think they're both from East Blue too."

"… Guess we could try track him down. Go work on that."

"Aye."

Penguin snuck from the room, trying his best not to distract Luffy from his attack on Shachi's hands. He was assisted by Law striding over to the kid, diverting his attention. As soon as he crouched down, Straw Hat threw his arms around the doctor's neck. Seemingly, he'd recovered from his earlier flare up. Law lifted Luffy into his lap, twisting the wriggling kid so that they were making eye-contact.

"Luffy. Hey, kid, listen to me. Want to tell me about Ace?"

Half obscured by unruly hair and long eyelashes, it was difficult to notice that Luffy's eyes flicked up to focus on Law. His reaction was obvious through the tightening of his grip and the squeal that escaped him.

"Ace!"

Law couldn't help but laugh as Luffy clawed at him.

"Yep, that's the one. Who is Ace, Luffy?"

"Ace."

"That's true, but I need more than that. Here, take my hand. Can you squeeze it?"

Luffy stared at him with dead eyes. His hand was limp within Law's, fingers draped, motionless, across Law's own. For several seconds, he stared at the doctor as though he had asked him to swim to the next island. Holding his ground, Law refused to back down, maintaining eye-contact and keeping his hand still. They sat without moving for a long time, until Luffy's fingers finally fluttered against Law's.

"Good, that's good enough. That means yes, okay?"

The weak pressure against his hand reappeared.

"Good, good. Is Ace a person?"

He felt it again. Adrenaline rushed through Law's veins. He was getting somewhere. This could work.

"Are you close to Ace?"

Again.

"Wow, okay. Ace is a man, right?"

Again.

"… Is he part of your crew?"

Luffy hid his face from Law, holding it perfectly still against the doctor's shoulder.

"No? Okay… Did you know him before you became a pirate then?"

The pressure reappeared.

"A friend?"

Law felt a slight twitch against his chest but not quite the strong reaction that he expected. What did he mean?

"An enemy?"

His patient was perfectly still after that question. Law thought that he heard a snicker, but he ignored it, pressing on with his interview.

"What else is there… family?"

That finally caused Luffy to reapply the pressure.

"Brother?"

Another squeeze.

"Ah… He doesn't happen to have devil fruit powers, does he?"

For that question, Law did not just receive a squeeze, but Straw Hat lifted his head and shot him an exhausted smile. He seemed proud. There was almost a sparkle in his wide eyes.

"Ah…Okay, thanks for that. Well done kid."

The conversation seemed to have drained Straw Hat. His eyes were drooping and his grip on Law was loosening. With a yawn, he cuddled up against his doctor. Law could feel his arms straining as he hauled Luffy to rest against his shoulder. Before his patient could slip, he held him in place by shoving an arm underneath his legs and another around his back. It was difficult with Luffy refusing to hold on, but Law managed to stagger to his feet with Shachi's help. As he regained his footing, he whispered a quick message to his friend.

"Go tell Peng he was right. Brothers."

Shachi seemed completely confused by his message, but he didn't want to wait around to regurgitate the conversation. The crew would be returning from Sabaody Park soon so he needed to get back to the infirmary. He swooped down the corridors, young charge in arms. Left with no free arms, he had to kick open the door to the infirmary. It felt disrespectful, and definitely unhygienic, but there was no way he could balance Luffy when he was insisting on burying himself into Law's upper body.

As soon as they crossed into the infirmary, Straw Hat seemed to relax a little. Law plopped him down onto the cot and ruffled his hair.

"You ready for bed yet Lu?"

It was becoming quite interesting how expressive the kid could be only using one word. The little whine of 'Ace' sounded down right petulant. Law couldn't help but laugh at the sulky expression that Straw Hat was sporting.

"Fine, I hear you kid. I have work to do though, so how about we get you ready anyway?"

Luffy seemed reluctant but he didn't fight as the older captain guided him to his feet. He wobbled as he was forced to stand, heavily leaning on the little rail running along the edge of the cot. Law could see the tremors wracking his limbs as he forced himself to stay upright, fighting the demons wrecking havoc on his brain. It must have been a long day for the kid, so Law wasn't surprised that he was bone tired. They would make more progress tomorrow, once Luffy was well rested. He tried to work quickly, stripping his patient down and manhandling him into sleepwear. He was racing the dregs of strength that remained in Luffy's muscles. As soon as he was done, he hauled the kid back onto the cot and raked a comb through wild hair. Luffy looked as though he had been drained of all energy. It would be surprising if he stayed awake long enough for Law to walk to his desk.

"There, well done. Now you just stay put, I've got some reading to do."

Despite his reputation, Trafalgar Law does try his best to be an attentive doctor. There's a difference between experiment subjects and patients. Straw Hat Luffy was definitely in the latter category, therefore deserving of an adequate bedside manner. Unfortunately, the reading waiting at Law's desk was a stack of books regarding Luffy's case. He needed to work out what the illness was so that he could treat him. It took about an hour for the doctor to notice the grunting coming from the cot beside him. He abandoned the books and spun his stool towards the edge of the cot.

Hunched over on the mattress, Luffy's hands were knotted in his hair. Beneath the handfuls, Law could see Luffy's scalp stretching from the force. The kid's head was pressed against his knees, causing sickening 'thunk' noises every time that the kid convulsed. Spasms wracked through his muscles, causing them to strain against tanned skin. Each twitch was visible. Law muttered out a string of expletives as he attempted to force the teenager to lie down. No amount of pushing managed to unfurl him.

"You're going to crack your teeth Lu, come on, you need to stop."

When he failed to get the usual response of 'Ace', he knew the kid was too far gone to pull back manually. There was a problem though: he couldn't get a good enough hit with the needle with Luffy shaking as he was. After twisting back towards his desk to grab antiseptic and gloves, he jumped onto the cot and tried to wrangle his patient into a more suitable position. He managed to catch him around the waist with his legs, taking advantage of his height to pin the kid's abdomen and lower body. With one arm, he tightly grabbed Luffy's elbow and pushed all of his strength into holding that arm still. With his free hand, he set about pulling on a glove and dousing the kid's arm with antiseptic. He drew up a strong dose of the sedative, jabbing it into Luffy before he could be overpowered. Syringe drained, Law threw it to the floor and tried to restrain Straw Hat until the medication kicked in. The teenager still wasn't forming words, just grunting and screeching and fighting the hold.

"Luffy, calm the fuck down. Come on, that shit was strong, you have to be feeling it. Just give up already."

Drawing from strength that Law had assumed lost, Straw Hat writhed against the cot. With every flail, his head smashed backwards. Most often, thanks to Law's manipulation of his body, it hit the mattress, but every so often it cracked against the railing. Throughout the entire fight, the kid wailed. His screams sounded animalistic. With every scream, he forced out so much air that his inhalations sounded like those of a drowning man. Great. This wasn't going to help the kid's throat.

It took half an hour for Luffy to give up his fight. By the time that he stopped, both the pirates were drenched in sweat. Law fell onto his back, panting as he tried to pull in air. He didn't hesitate once his breath was back, cleaning the drool and sweat off his patient and clasping the restraints around him, in case he woke up in another fit. Before tying down the kid's head, he checked the inside of his mouth for any bite wounds and strapped an oxygen mask onto him. Ignoring his exhaustion, Law slumped back down at his desk, flicking through his books despite his eyes blurring with the need for sleep.

"Yeah… you aren't just going to shake this off, are you? Whatever this is, it's bad. Hopefully, your brother can help…"


	6. Chapter 6

Edited: 13.03.2018

* * *

Despite their orders, the crew of The Thousand Sunny reunited on the second day. By the afternoon, Zoro and Nami had herded the others to a small restaurant in the tourist zone. The door was propped open, allowing the strong aromas of spices and barbeque to escape and float through the grove. The inside of the restaurant was dimly lit, cluttered with dark furniture crowded around smoking grills. When they took their seats, their thighs were touching and their elbows were knocking. The contact forced intimacy at a time when all that they wanted was to withdraw into themselves. It brought them together. Going in had been Sanji's idea: anything had to be better than pacing the archipelago in an uncomfortable silence. The guilt gnawed at their bones; they hadn't suspected a thing. They had travelled with him for a long time now, without knowing the burden than he carried on his back, that had broken his shoulders yesterday. How could they call themselves his family? Their naive, innocent captain was alone, God knows where, and potentially delusional. A good family wouldn't have allowed that to happen. Hell, an average friend wouldn't have let it happen. The hunched over crew, all prodding knees and poking elbows, felt useless.

Zoro, however, felt as though he was being torn apart at the seams. While the other members of the crew had failed to notice Luffy's behaviour, he had sensed that something was wrong. He didn't know how he knew; ever since meeting the kid, it had felt as though they were tethered. Wherever Luffy was, however far, Zoro could follow the pull of energy and find him. Even as he sat by the grill, watching Sanji sear meat, he could feel the ache of Luffy's pain, his confusion, his grief. It made Zoro nauseous. The strong energy that had guided him from the East Blue was weakened, difficult to follow, but its pain consumed him. It drove him to desperation, unable to focus on anything but rescuing his captain. Maybe, if he was a better friend, he could have prevented that pain.

Although Zoro refused to eat, the other members of the Straw Hat crew quietly snacked at the meat. It was tense, and they exchanged no words until they left the restaurant. As they stepped out into the dusk, Zoro started walking in the direction of Luffy's energy. No one doubted his ability to track down his captain like a well-trained bloodhound. While Zoro had no understanding of navigation, his sense of direction concerning Luffy was infallible.

"How do you do that?"

Zoro didn't turn around when Usopp spoke. He couldn't lose focus. Luffy's energy was so weak and skittish that breaking concentration for a moment could mean losing the trail forever. That couldn't happen. If he couldn't find the captain, who could?

"Dunno."

Zoro walked for a long time. He walked until his feet ached. The sky was a canvas of red and orange, scattered flashes of fire, when he began hunting down Luffy. When he finally stopped walking, it was an expanse of black, dotted with constellations. Years down the line, he would blame his next actions on the sky. It was too dark; he couldn't see. Without missing a beat, Sanji would remind him of just how bright the moon had been.

The silver glow was shining directly onto a sheet of metal that towered mere millimetres away from Zoro's nose. Not only was it a moonlit panel of metal, it was sunshine yellow. Stark against the bright metal, a grinning Jolly Rodger mocked him with its grim smile. Everything about the vessel made him uncomfortable. The paintjob created an imitation of happiness that seemed inappropriate for a ship containing Luffy's frail energy. It was suspicious. Zoro didn't need to tell the crew that this was where the trail ended: one look at the submarine and they knew.

The only visible entrance point to the submarine was on the third deck up from sea level. While the crew scrambled up several ladders that lined the side of the ship, Sanji grew impatient. Sending power to his legs, he took a tremendous leap and landed on the third deck. Unfortunately, he didn't land particularly quietly. A hollow thud rang through the submarine when he landed. Before the rest of the crew could even make it to the first deck, three figures exited the submarine. A huge, snarling bear headed the group. The beast was followed by two men wearing bright orange overalls. Everything about this crew was a bloody pantomime. The men hung back, leaning against the doors. One of the men wore a black bobble hat with 'penguin' scrawled across the front in marker. That man spoke up in a deep voice.

"If you turn back now, nobody will get hurt."

An empty threat wouldn't convince Sanji to leave his precious captain with some kidnappers and a freaking polar bear. He steeled his glare and stepped forwards.

Admittedly, he was a little surprised that the polar bear knew martial arts.

Sanji didn't so much as look up from his fight when the other members of his crew finally made it to the deck. He was battling toe-to-toe with the bear. Every time he thought that he had made a gain on it, he was forced backwards by a sweeping paw. While Sanji was oblivious to the arrival of his crewmates, the two men leaning on the submarine doors noticed. The one with long hair stamped his foot into the door three times. Thud. Thud. Thud. He only moved away for the door for a second, but that was all that it took for it to swing open and a crowd of jump-suited pirates to run out onto the deck. A loud, chaotic battle broke out. Amid the fight, Sanji finally managed to land a kick on the polar bear. It flew backwards, crashing into the doors. The doors shaking caused the metal of the ship to groan loudly.

The sound of groaning metal was drowned out by a high-pitched scream. _Luffy_.

At the sound of the scream, Zoro abandoned his battle. He pushed through the crowd, entirely focused on the distressed wails that made his heart grow cold. Through sheer determination, he reached the doors and snuck through them. Luffy needed him.

The only issue with Zoro's rescue plan was that the submarine was a fucking maze. Every corner that he turned, the path ahead of him looked the same. Ringing throughout the absurd metal hallways, he could hear echoing footsteps, just like his own, running. Every corridor looked the same. After a lifetime of feeling lost, he ran to the end of a long corridor and came face to face with a note, scribbled on a scrap of paper in jagged handwriting and jammed onto a loose nail hanging from the door.

 _Keep out – patient sleeping._

 _xXx_

Secreted away in the infirmary, deep in the bowels of the ship, Trafalgar Law was, once again, napping. Wrestling the brat had exhausted him, yet he couldn't bring himself to go to his quarters. One of his books had to hold the clue to treating Luffy, and he felt wrong leaving them until he had found it. The kid's latest episode had unnerved him; he'd naively believed that he'd somewhat stabilised Luffy following a catastrophic episode of mental illness within 24 hours. That was idiotic. With renewed vigour, Law had attacked his books and drawn up a revised treatment plan. Half way through his notetaking, the exhaustion had hit him. The terrifying surgeon of death had fallen asleep against his desk.

When the Heart Pirate crew returned from the amusement park, they were simultaneously confused and enamoured by what they found in the infirmary. There was a faint line of ink along Trafalgar's cheek where he had slept upon fresh notes. A few feet away from him, Straw Hat was sleeping on one of the cots. Thanks to his devil fruit, he had stretched in his sleep. One of his arms had snaked free of the restraints and was brushing against the floor, sweeping it every time he snored. Several photos were taken before Bepo wrapped a blanket around his captain and quietly closed the infirmary door, shutting the pair away in a bubble of relative silence.

It was the middle of the night when the bubble popped.

The initial awakening hadn't worried Law too much. He had been dragged out of his sleep by several loud crashes. His eyes were blurred with sleep, which he took to explain the fact that the various jars upon his desk appeared to be vibrating. With a groan, he brushed a leaf of paper away from his face and dragged himself up from his desk. His first instinct was to haul himself over to Luffy's bedside. The kid was staring at him, wide eyed.

"Come on Lu, not agai-"

Law couldn't get his sentence out before Luffy began to scream. The kid thrashed against the restraints as he shredded his vocal chords. His back arched away from the mattress, curving as much as the thick leather would allow before crashing back down when the spasm ebbed. His toes curled and his fists clenched with each jolt.

Trying to block out the noise, Law combed his fingers through the Luffy's hair and cooed at him, hoping to get the kid to calm down naturally. It had very little effect. Tears streamed down Straw Hat's cheeks and snot was beginning to cloud up his oxygen mask. His breathing was shifting from panicked into hyperventilation, barely assisted by the cloud of air being pumped into his lungs. Hoping to relax him, Law undid the restraints and pulled Luffy up against his chest. Around them, the ship was still shaking and clangs were ringing throughout its halls. He would have to trust his crew to keep the infirmary safe from whatever was going on. Once Luffy was unbuckled, it was time for another wrestling match. With the sedative still in his system, Luffy was barely a challenge for his doctor. He screeched and flailed, but was easily overpowered. Law dragged him up, pressing his chest into the kid's back and wrapping his legs around Luffy's waist and thighs. He pressed his palms against Straw Hat's chest, using pressure to coax him back into a normal breathing pattern. The kid was still wailing on the exhales, struggling to catch his breath despite the prompting.

"Luffy. Deep breathes. In and out, do it with me. Let your mind empty. All those thoughts are just water. They'll just wash over you if you stop sticking your face in the surf. Let them go. Your only concern is to breathe, Luffy. Just breathe."

The pair hid in the dark, alone, for several minutes. By the end of that time, Luffy was still trembling in his doctor's arms. His breaths were steadier, raspy and gasping but synchronised with Law's. Through layers of fabric, Law could still feel Luffy's heart fluttering with fear, as close as if it were in his own ribcage, nestled against his own. Now that his charge was calmer, he took the time to gather up the cot's discarded blanket and wrap it around them both. He was unwilling to move until his patient was fully calmed. As the footsteps echoed overhead, he maintained his grip upon the kid.

All of Law's hard work was ruined when the infirmary doors were thrown open. Zoro, Luffy's first mate, was standing in the doorway. His swords were drawn, a bandana was tied around his head and he looked as though he was heading to war. At the sight of him, Doctor Trafalgar Law hopped down from behind Luffy, readjusting the blanket around the kid's shoulders.

"Ah, Zoro, I do believe there was a keep out sign outsi-"

For the second time, Law didn't get the chance to finish his sentence. Turns out, Zoro hadn't been there to talk. While Law had tucked Luffy back into the cot, Zoro had ran up and shoved his sword through Law's gut. It took a moment for him to realise what had happened. When Law looked down, he found himself skewered. His blood sprayed out of the opening on his front, splattering across Luffy. Zoro promptly pulled out the sword and, without it, the doctor felt his knees give out. He grabbed onto the railing around the cot as he dropped to his knees, trying to reach for his patient. Luffy was screaming. His miniscule hands encased Law's. Trafalgar Law cried out, wheezing between every word.

"I can't – let you – take him. He – needs my – help."

Law could feel the blood gushing from his abdomen, but he had to be brave. He had to ignore it. A mere foot from his face, Zoro was grabbing at Luffy. The first mate of the Straw Hat crew started out trying to negotiate with his captain, instructing the kid to get to his feet. Luffy backed away from the reaching hands, scrambling and getting tangled up in his blanket. When negotiations failed, Zoro grabbed the kid. He hauled Luffy into his arms, blankets and all. At the movement, an inhuman scream ripped from Luffy's lungs. His arms were twisted up in the sheet, unable to reach back when Law's arm attempted to grab him. The doctor had one had clamped against the hole in his gut as his tattooed fingers grazed against Luffy's hair. Without looking back, Zoro walked away, striding out of the infirmary. As he came closer to leaving the infirmary, Luffy tried harder to fight. He delivered sharp kicks to Zoro's gut and writhed within his grasp. Zoro's grip faltered for a moment, but he regained it and threw Luffy further over his shoulder. When he cried out towards Law, his words were garbled and fragile.

"Ace! Ace! Brother, help! Ace! No go, no!"

The ache in Law's heart hurt more than his gut. It was agonising, twisting his organs out of shape. Luffy had thought that he was Ace. That's why he'd babbled it so much. From the blur cast over him by sedation, the black hair must have been something to latch onto. Fuck. This could destroy the kid. As Zoro got to the door, the fight left Luffy and he fell limp. Law tried to spit out words as he grew faint.

"Please – please keep – him safe…"

* * *

Finally got these chapters edited! That took ages. I've not been very well for a couple of months now so sitting down to write just feels like a monumental effort. I've got about half of chapter 7 written now, so hopefully it won't take too long to get that up. If I've missed any mistakes, please give me a heads up. I don't get anyone to beta these so I can end up missing things.

Emily x


	7. Chapter 7

As he raced through the labyrinth of corridors contained within the submarine, Zoro could hear the fight raging above him. Every knock against the shell of the vessel caused hollow bangs to echo throughout the hallways. The noise of the battle was helpful, guiding him back to the deck. The deadweight balanced upon his shoulder drove him to pick up his pace to a jog. Something was wrong with his captain. What the hell had that damned surgeon done to him? Luffy was motionless; it was only due to Zoro's training that he could detect the shallow, stuttering breaths that barely managed to move the kid's chest. Despite that, it was his behaviour back in the infirmary that propelled Zoro's run: the godawful screaming, the way that he reached for his captor, the fact that he called out for his brother. Everything about the situation was nonsensical. The sooner that they got away from the tin coffin, the sooner they could leave this entire mess behind them. Chopper would fix Luffy.

Zoro was overwhelmed with relief when he finally pushed through the main doors and escaped onto the deck. The burst of cool air against his skin helped to cleanse his eyes of the vile scene that he had witnessed. He couldn't take the time to enjoy it. The fight was still in full swing. Brook was closest to the door, chuckling as he fought one-handed against a lackey of the Heart Pirate crew. As Zoro exited the submarine, he whispered a message to Brook.

"I'm taking Captain back to the ship. Don't let any of these fuckers follow us. Try not to take too long to beat them."

It was irritating to have to avoid a fight. Some of these pirates looked like they could be good practice. However, as first mate, his job was to protect Luffy with his life. While this battle could be a hazard to the kid, it was far down the list of current threats. Something significantly worse than the fight had already sunk its fangs into the captain. The other members of his crew could avenge Luffy in this fight. He had more important obligations to fulfil.

As the deck was swarming with people, it wasn't hard for Zoro to escape the skirmish unnoticed. Sword fighting required delicate footwork. He danced between the bodies, blending into the background. His descent from the upper deck to the pier was hindered by carrying Luffy, but he managed to scramble down before he lost his grip entirely. Finally, once his feet touched solid ground, he set about hiking back to The Thousand Sunny. Traversing the groves was significantly harder when responsible for someone else's safety. The kid wasn't particularly heavy, but with every step he slid from Zoro's shoulder. There hadn't been enough time while escaping to tie him in place. Zoro wasn't only concentrating on not dropping his captain, or making sure that he didn't get lost; Luffy seemed sick.

Part of Zoro had expected that, once he rescued Luffy, his captain would begin to return to himself. The damned submarine was far behind them now, so that damn devil fruit's influence upon him should have ended. It was known that Luffy's body was rubber, pinging back into shape when stretched or strained. The belief among the crew was that his personality was similar. No matter how the kid's emotions were strained, he'd bounce back with ease. That didn't seem to be happening. After fifteen minutes or so of walking, Luffy was still silent and limp. Growing concerned, Zoro stopped on a secluded grove and propped the kid against a tree.

Hidden in the shade of the tree, Zoro took a chance to look his captain over. He was struck with a gut-wrenching panic. Seemingly, Luffy had clung to the blanket that he had been wrapped in back at the infirmary. It looked heavy, made of tightly knitted, white wool. With it wrapped around his shoulders, the captain seemed vulnerable. Luffy's gaze was cast towards the floor, but he didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. Even when Zoro crouched in front of him, he refused to look up. Frustrated, the first mate lifted his captain's face. His hand trembled. Dark blood was smeared across the kid's lower lip and chin. It oozed from his mouth, dripping down into his lap. The blood seemed to be filling Luffy's mouth as it gurgled every time that he exhaled. When he forced the kid' mouth open, attempting to clear out the blood, he expected protestation. Luffy didn't say a thing. He didn't move.

"Luffy, you need to snap out of this. You're safe now."

The kid made no attempt to speak. He kept up his pattern of wheezing inhalations and gurgling exhalations.

"Come on Lu, let me know that you can hear me."

When Zoro let go of Luffy's chin, it immediately dropped against his chest. Worrying his lip, Zoro rearranged the blanket around Luffy, knotting it at his neck and hips so that it wouldn't fall off. He lifted the kid into his arms, cradling him against his chest. It would be easier to check on the little captain if he didn't have to twist over his own shoulder every time he wanted a glance. It definitely wasn't that he was feeling protective.

"You'll be okay… I'll keep you safe, don't worry… We'll get you back to Chopper and he'll fix you up. Hang in there. Once you get to him, you'll be all better. Just keep breathing."

Spurred on by the feeling of Luffy's blood soaking through his shirt, Zoro picked up his pace for the rest of the journey. It wasn't long before he began to jog. Every wheeze that wracked the kid's chest increased his sense of urgency. With every few steps, he glanced down to watch as Luffy gurgled and more blood splattered onto the blanket. It was becoming saturated. By the time that he reached the ship, Luffy's breathing was shallow and strained. Zoro thought that the kid might have fallen asleep, but his eyes were still open, trapped in a dead stare. Maybe he'd just acquired a new skill…

Finally, after almost an eternity of walking, The Thousand Sunny breached the horizon. It had been a long night, and Zoro was almost tired, but seeing his home motivated him to not slow down. As the bubble coat was almost complete, there was a slight shimmer to hull. The coating would have to remain unfinished for now. Unless Luffy snapped out of his stupor by sunrise, they wouldn't be able to set off for Fishman Island that day as they had planned.

In spite of the vigorous movement that followed from being hauled across the archipelago in Zoro's grasp, Luffy had failed to so much as twitch. He was as close to motionless as a living human could be. Zoro's theory that his unnatural stillness was caused by Trafalgar Law's devil fruit power had been unravelling with every step he took away from that damned submarine. Admittedly, the fact that it hadn't been alleviated when Law had fainted had damaged the credibility of the theory. It was apparent that this problem lay within Chopper's domain, so, ever the dutiful first mate, Zoro marched to the infirmary and dropped his captain, from a small height, onto the bed. Having done all that he could think to do for the kid, Zoro exited the infirmary and sat down beside the heavy door, leaning against it, waiting for Chopper to return.

He had fallen asleep by the time the rest of the crew returned. The first shocks of dawn were beginning to light up the sky and warm the air. It had taken several hours for the straw hats to get away from the submarine. Having heard about their captain's injury, the heart pirates had become enraged. Most of the straw hats had been left bruised and battered. Sanji had taken the worst of it due to having fought a freaking polar bear that was proficient in martial arts. He was limping a little and clutching at a gash that cut across his hip. Exhausted from walking back on an injured leg, Sanji slumped onto the deck besides Zoro. He glared at him for a second before lighting a cigarette and speaking up.

"How's Lu?"

Zoro sighed a little, considering his answer carefully.

"Not himself. Need Chopper to look at him."

"Not himself how?"

"Just, not himself. You'll see."

Driven by concern for his captain, Sanji forced himself to his feet and staggered into the infirmary. He glanced at Luffy's splayed form on the bed for a moment before he sunk into the chair beside him. Reaching over to the bed, he patted the kid on the back a few times.

"Lu, hey, Luffy. Wake up."

The kid didn't stir at the gentle approach so Sanji roughly shook him. Luffy was a pretty heavy sleeper after all. The shaking caused his head to loll backwards, hair fanning out across the mattress. The new angle caused his eyes to become locked with Sanji's. Sanji smiled at him at first, but as Luffy stared at him, unblinking, for longer and longer, it grew weird.

"Luffy, this is really important, okay? I need you to let me know that you can hear me."

When there was no response, he started to panic. The stream of bloody drool that dragged across the mattress, following the movement of Luffy's head, was also unnerving. He took a breath, trying to compose himself.

"Okay, don't panic. I'm going to go fetch Chopper. I'll be back before you know I'm gone."

In the span of a few seconds that contained a flurry of noise and banging doors, Sanji had returned, Chopper tucked under one of his arms. He hadn't been able to think of the words so had simply grabbed the little reindeer and hauled ass back to infirmary. Once the door was safely shut, he placed Chopper down and took up residence in the seat beside the cot.

"Fix him."

"Aye!"

Chopper babbled as he scurried around the infirmary, constantly firing questions at Luffy and telling him stories about the days they had spent apart. He wasn't phased by the lack of response, continuing to chat to the captain's dead eyes while he mopped the tracks of blood from his chin with a stained rag. Chopper shifted Luffy until he was lain flat on his back, his head tilted to the side to avoid the blood choking him. He neatly arranged his spindly limbs and pulled his stained blanket up to his chin. The blanket shifted a little with the shallow rise and fall of the captain's chest. Chopper fished a little torch from his desk and twisted it on.

"Luffy, look at the light and follow it when it moves, kay?"

Smiling widely, Chopper wiggled the lit torch in front of the captain's face. When Luffy failed to track the light, Chopper held it steady in front of his pupil. At the intense light, his pupils shrunk, and when it was removed they swallowed up his irises. Happy with the result, Chopper decided to double check it was right by grapping a pin from his desk. Moving to the end of the bed, he freed one of Luffy's feet from the blanket and jabbed the pin into the delicate flesh of his sole. His toes twitched, flinching upwards in response to the pain.

"Come on Luffy, I know you're awake. Stop messing around!"

Despite the clear lack of reason for his petulant stillness, Luffy refused to give in to Chopper's demands. For half an hour, Chopper jabbed at him with various items from his desk, trying to snap him out of his weird daze. When Chopper was trying the globally accredited whack-him-with-a-pillow technique, Sanji finally spoke up.

"Chopper, I don't think this is working. Go update the others, I'll keep an eye on Lu."

After Chopper had scurried out, Sanji sat on the edge of the cot. He spoke quiet, reassuring words as he carded his fingers through the captain's hair. While the morning drew in, Sanji planned out quick breakfasts for the crew in his head. Something Luffy would enjoy. He couldn't do fancy tests like Chopper could, but he could try help motivate his captain to move with the best damn breakfast that had ever graced Sunny's table.

A gust of wind swept across the ocean, picking up the sea spray and flinging it through the air. It caught the edge of a newspaper, dampening it and rustling the pages. The leaves of paper reached towards the sky, tugging at the hand that gripped them. Droplets of salt water had blurred the ink, making the words swarm together. Despite the seeping ink, the fluttering pages were held in place so that the front page was visible. Covering half of the page was a photo of Monkey D. Luffy. The picture was blurred, taken in a rush, but it clearly showed the young captain screaming, eyes unseeing, knees grazed. A shadow of a mast fell across the paper, darkening the image.

From behind the expanse of the newspaper, a pair of dark eyebrows furrowed. They sunk down to meet narrowed eyes, hidden by the shadow of a brimmed hat. The hands gripping the newspaper clenched into a fist, crumpling the paper before igniting it. At his last stopping place, the man had received a message that Monkey D. Luffy had been endangered; the paper merely confirmed his intel. As the sea wind carried away the ashy residue of the paper, he groaned to himself under his breath.

"How long are you going to keep crying, little brother?"

As he raced through the labyrinth of corridors contained within the submarine, Zoro could hear the fight raging above him. Every knock against the shell of the vessel caused hollow bangs to echo throughout the hallways. The noise of the battle was helpful, guiding him back to the deck. The deadweight balanced upon his shoulder drove him to pick up his pace to a jog. Something was wrong with his captain. What the hell had that damned surgeon done to him? Luffy was motionless; it was only due to Zoro's training that he could detect the shallow, stuttering breaths that barely managed to move the kid's chest. Despite that, it was his behaviour back in the infirmary that propelled Zoro's run: the godawful screaming, the way that he reached for his captor, the fact that he called out for his brother. Everything about the situation was nonsensical. The sooner that they got away from the tin coffin, the sooner they could leave this entire mess behind them. Chopper would fix Luffy.

Zoro was overwhelmed with relief when he finally pushed through the main doors and escaped onto the deck. The burst of cool air against his skin helped to cleanse his eyes of the vile scene that he had witnessed. He couldn't take the time to enjoy it. The fight was still in full swing. Brook was closest to the door, chuckling as he fought one-handed against a lackey of the Heart Pirate crew. As Zoro exited the submarine, he whispered a message to Brook.

"I'm taking Captain back to the ship. Don't let any of these fuckers follow us. Try not to take too long to beat them."

It was irritating to have to avoid a fight. Some of these pirates looked like they could be good practice. However, as first mate, his job was to protect Luffy with his life. While this battle could be a hazard to the kid, it was far down the list of current threats. Something significantly worse than the fight had already sunk its fangs into the captain. The other members of his crew could avenge Luffy in this fight. He had more important obligations to fulfil.

As the deck was swarming with people, it wasn't hard for Zoro to escape the skirmish unnoticed. Sword fighting required delicate footwork. He danced between the bodies, blending into the background. His descent from the upper deck to the pier was hindered by carrying Luffy, but he managed to scramble down before he lost his grip entirely. Finally, once his feet touched solid ground, he set about hiking back to The Thousand Sunny. Traversing the groves was significantly harder when responsible for someone else's safety. The kid wasn't particularly heavy, but with every step he slid from Zoro's shoulder. There hadn't been enough time while escaping to tie him in place. Zoro wasn't only concentrating on not dropping his captain, or making sure that he didn't get lost; Luffy seemed sick.

Part of Zoro had expected that, once he rescued Luffy, his captain would begin to return to himself. The damned submarine was far behind them now, so that damn devil fruit's influence upon him should have ended. It was known that Luffy's body was rubber, pinging back into shape when stretched or strained. The belief among the crew was that his personality was similar. No matter how the kid's emotions were strained, he'd bounce back with ease. That didn't seem to be happening. After fifteen minutes or so of walking, Luffy was still silent and limp. Growing concerned, Zoro stopped on a secluded grove and propped the kid against a tree.

Hidden in the shade of the tree, Zoro took a chance to look his captain over. He was struck with a gut-wrenching panic. Seemingly, Luffy had clung to the blanket that he had been wrapped in back at the infirmary. It looked heavy, made of tightly knitted, white wool. With it wrapped around his shoulders, the captain seemed vulnerable. Luffy's gaze was cast towards the floor, but he didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. Even when Zoro crouched in front of him, he refused to look up. Frustrated, the first mate lifted his captain's face. His hand trembled. Dark blood was smeared across the kid's lower lip and chin. It oozed from his mouth, dripping down into his lap. The blood seemed to be filling Luffy's mouth as it gurgled every time that he exhaled. When he forced the kid' mouth open, attempting to clear out the blood, he expected protestation. Luffy didn't say a thing. He didn't move.

"Luffy, you need to snap out of this. You're safe now."

The kid made no attempt to speak. He kept up his pattern of wheezing inhalations and gurgling exhalations.

"Come on Lu, let me know that you can hear me."

When Zoro let go of Luffy's chin, it immediately dropped against his chest. Worrying his lip, Zoro rearranged the blanket around Luffy, knotting it at his neck and hips so that it wouldn't fall off. He lifted the kid into his arms, cradling him against his chest. It would be easier to check on the little captain if he didn't have to twist over his own shoulder every time he wanted a glance. It definitely wasn't that he was feeling protective.

"You'll be okay… I'll keep you safe, don't worry… We'll get you back to Chopper and he'll fix you up. Hang in there. Once you get to him, you'll be all better. Just keep breathing."

Spurred on by the feeling of Luffy's blood soaking through his shirt, Zoro picked up his pace for the rest of the journey. It wasn't long before he began to jog. Every wheeze that wracked the kid's chest increased his sense of urgency. With every few steps, he glanced down to watch as Luffy gurgled and more blood splattered onto the blanket. It was becoming saturated. By the time that he reached the ship, Luffy's breathing was shallow and strained. Zoro thought that the kid might have fallen asleep, but his eyes were still open, trapped in a dead stare. Maybe he'd just acquired a new skill…

Finally, after almost an eternity of walking, The Thousand Sunny breached the horizon. It had been a long night, and Zoro was almost tired, but seeing his home motivated him to not slow down. As the bubble coat was almost complete, there was a slight shimmer to hull. The coating would have to remain unfinished for now. Unless Luffy snapped out of his stupor by sunrise, they wouldn't be able to set off for Fishman Island that day as they had planned.

In spite of the vigorous movement that followed from being hauled across the archipelago in Zoro's grasp, Luffy had failed to so much as twitch. He was as close to motionless as a living human could be. Zoro's theory that his unnatural stillness was caused by Trafalgar Law's devil fruit power had been unravelling with every step he took away from that damned submarine. Admittedly, the fact that it hadn't been alleviated when Law had fainted had damaged the credibility of the theory. It was apparent that this problem lay within Chopper's domain, so, ever the dutiful first mate, Zoro marched to the infirmary and dropped his captain, from a small height, onto the bed. Having done all that he could think to do for the kid, Zoro exited the infirmary and sat down beside the heavy door, leaning against it, waiting for Chopper to return.

He had fallen asleep by the time the rest of the crew returned. The first shocks of dawn were beginning to light up the sky and warm the air. It had taken several hours for the straw hats to get away from the submarine. Having heard about their captain's injury, the heart pirates had become enraged. Most of the straw hats had been left bruised and battered. Sanji had taken the worst of it due to having fought a freaking polar bear that was proficient in martial arts. He was limping a little and clutching at a gash that cut across his hip. Exhausted from walking back on an injured leg, Sanji slumped onto the deck besides Zoro. He glared at him for a second before lighting a cigarette and speaking up.

"How's Lu?"

Zoro sighed a little, considering his answer carefully.

"Not himself. Need Chopper to look at him."

"Not himself how?"

"Just, not himself. You'll see."

Driven by concern for his captain, Sanji forced himself to his feet and staggered into the infirmary. He glanced at Luffy's splayed form on the bed for a moment before he sunk into the chair beside him. Reaching over to the bed, he patted the kid on the back a few times.

"Lu, hey, Luffy. Wake up."

The kid didn't stir at the gentle approach so Sanji roughly shook him. Luffy was a pretty heavy sleeper after all. The shaking caused his head to loll backwards, hair fanning out across the mattress. The new angle caused his eyes to become locked with Sanji's. Sanji smiled at him at first, but as Luffy stared at him, unblinking, for longer and longer, it grew weird.

"Luffy, this is really important, okay? I need you to let me know that you can hear me."

When there was no response, he started to panic. The stream of bloody drool that dragged across the mattress, following the movement of Luffy's head, was also unnerving. He took a breath, trying to compose himself.

"Okay, don't panic. I'm going to go fetch Chopper. I'll be back before you know I'm gone."

In the span of a few seconds that contained a flurry of noise and banging doors, Sanji had returned, Chopper tucked under one of his arms. He hadn't been able to think of the words so had simply grabbed the little reindeer and hauled ass back to infirmary. Once the door was safely shut, he placed Chopper down and took up residence in the seat beside the cot.

"Fix him."

"Aye!"

Chopper babbled as he scurried around the infirmary, constantly firing questions at Luffy and telling him stories about the days they had spent apart. He wasn't phased by the lack of response, continuing to chat to the captain's dead eyes while he mopped the tracks of blood from his chin with a stained rag. Chopper shifted Luffy until he was lain flat on his back, his head tilted to the side to avoid the blood choking him. He neatly arranged his spindly limbs and pulled his stained blanket up to his chin. The blanket shifted a little with the shallow rise and fall of the captain's chest. Chopper fished a little torch from his desk and twisted it on.

"Luffy, look at the light and follow it when it moves, kay?"

Smiling widely, Chopper wiggled the lit torch in front of the captain's face. When Luffy failed to track the light, Chopper held it steady in front of his pupil. At the intense light, his pupils shrunk, and when it was removed they swallowed up his irises. Happy with the result, Chopper decided to double check it was right by grapping a pin from his desk. Moving to the end of the bed, he freed one of Luffy's feet from the blanket and jabbed the pin into the delicate flesh of his sole. His toes twitched, flinching upwards in response to the pain.

"Come on Luffy, I know you're awake. Stop messing around!"

Despite the clear lack of reason for his petulant stillness, Luffy refused to give in to Chopper's demands. For half an hour, Chopper jabbed at him with various items from his desk, trying to snap him out of his weird daze. When Chopper was trying the globally accredited whack-him-with-a-pillow technique, Sanji finally spoke up.

"Chopper, I don't think this is working. Go update the others, I'll keep an eye on Lu."

After Chopper had scurried out, Sanji sat on the edge of the cot. He spoke quiet, reassuring words as he carded his fingers through the captain's hair. While the morning drew in, Sanji planned out quick breakfasts for the crew in his head. Something Luffy would enjoy. He couldn't do fancy tests like Chopper could, but he could try help motivate his captain to move with the best damn breakfast that had ever graced Sunny's table.

xxx

A gust of wind swept across the ocean, picking up the sea spray and flinging it through the air. It caught the edge of a newspaper, dampening it and rustling the pages. The leaves of paper reached towards the sky, tugging at the hand that gripped them. Droplets of salt water had blurred the ink, making the words swarm together. Despite the seeping ink, the fluttering pages were held in place so that the front page was visible. Covering half of the page was a photo of Monkey D. Luffy. The picture was blurred, taken in a rush, but it clearly showed the young captain screaming, eyes unseeing, knees grazed. A shadow of a mast fell across the paper, darkening the image.

From behind the expanse of the newspaper, a pair of dark eyebrows furrowed. They sunk down to meet narrowed eyes, hidden by the shadow of a brimmed hat. The hands gripping the newspaper clenched into a fist, crumpling the paper before igniting it. At his last stopping place, the man had received a message that Monkey D. Luffy had been endangered; the paper merely confirmed his intel. As the sea wind carried away the ashy residue of the paper, he groaned to himself under his breath.

"How long are you going to keep crying, little brother?"

* * *

Hi! I am so sorry this took me shamefully long to update. This story is based on my own experience of psychosis and it's been flaring up a lot this year.

This chapter still needs editing, so if you have any suggestions just point them out. I'd love to know if anyone is still following this and the comments absolutely make my day, so leave one if you can.

Hopefully the next update will come sooner, see you guys then!


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